It turns out our lawns can play a very significant role in the efforts to reduce the effects of global warming. Through the process of photosynthesis, grass takes in carbon dioxide and stores carbon in the soil. Recent studies at Ohio State University have shown that lawns can remove and store twice the amount of carbon from the air in a year than a tree can in 10.

There is an estimated 80 million home lawns in the U.S. covering an estimated 50 million acres, an area 3 times larger than the largest irrigated crop. It is estimated that up to 800 lbs of carbon per acre is sequestered by Turfgrass each year; almost 1/2 ton per acre. This results in 20 million tons of carbon being removed from the atmosphere each year in the U. S. alone.

We humans produce a lot of trash. Our landfills are running out of space. It is estimated that up to 18% of trash hauled to the landfill each year is yard waste, and 75% of it is composed of grass clippings. One thousand square feet of lawn area can produce 200 lbs of grass clippings per growing season. That's a lot of trash, not to mention all the plastic bags used to put it in. We are filling our landfills with material that can be 100% recycled!

Grasscycling is the practice of leaving your grass clippings lie on the grass after mowing. Grass clippings are almost 90% water and are very high in nitrogen. That's a lot of valuable nutrients that could be utilized by the grass instead of being thrown away. Not bagging your grass clippings, and returning them to the soil, is a natural way to fertilize your lawn.

We would not live long in a world without oxygen. Our very survival depends on it. The next time you are watching your grass grow, take a moment to consider how valuable it is to our air quality.

Through the process of photosynthesis, plants take in carbon dioxide and water, use sunlight to produce energy and release oxygen, helping to clean the air that we breathe.

Our lawns are incredible oxygen making machines. A 25 square foot area will supply enough oxygen to support one person for a day. A turf area 50' x 50' will produce enough oxygen to meet the daily needs of a family of four.1

The grass along our interstate highways produce enough oxygen to support 22 million people. Every acre of grass will supply enough oxygen for 64 people a day.2

Growth of our cities and the inevitable urban sprawl it creates also brings tremendous challenges for municipalities in management of water resources. Loss of open space to development is creating growing water quality issues as runoff of contaminants from hard surfaces such as roads and parking lots have increased, impacting water quality.

Runoff can be greatly reduced with the establishment of green spaces. Lawns and grassy areas purify water and filter contaminants as they pass through the root zone and into underground aquifers. Microbes in the soil help to breakdown chemicals and contaminants before they reach water supplies. Rain water filtered through lawn areas is often 10 times less acidic than water running off hard surfaces.1

Most people take grass for granted, never stopping to consider the important role it plays in the world around us.

The use of turfgrass can help to reduce air pollution, purify our water supply and lower our energy consumption. Strategic use of lawn areas in parks and open space can often lower the heat island effect in urban areas and aid in reducing global warming trends.

So what can our lawns do for us?

Air Pollution

One of the best ways to reduce air pollution is have a well maintained lawn. Grass areas act as natural air filters to trap and remove dust and other particles from the air. Through the process of photosynthesis turfgrass absorbs carbon dioxide and releases clean oxygen in return. Recent studies show lawns to be net sequesters of carbon, storing up to 4 times more carbon than is emitted by the lawn mowers used to maintain them. Lawns are an excellent producer of oxygen. A lawn area 50' x 50' produces enough oxygen for the daily needs of a family of four. An acre of grass will produce enough oxygen for 64 people a day. Reducing your carbon footprint begins right at home.

The cool sensation of walking barefoot through the grass is very real. Temperatures on lawn surfaces can be 10 to 14 degrees cooler than on concrete or asphalt. Green spaces can play a big role in modifying temperatures and controlling climate.

Through photosynthesis grass absorbs sunlight to produce energy. Grass plants will take in the Sun's heat during the day and release it slowly at night, helping to moderate temperatures.

Turf helps cool off surrounding areas through the evapotranspiration process. Lawn areas cool the air as water evaporates from the blades of grass. As much as 50% of the Sun's heat falling on the turf will be absorbed and eliminated through transpiration.

The front lawns of eight homes can have the cooling effect of 70 tons of air conditioning, greatly reducing energy needs and the burning of fossil fuels needed to produce it. It has been estimated that strategic planting of lawns and landscape plants could reduce the energy required for air conditioning by 25%.